Teachers say inquiry-based math project boosted fourth-grade achievement at Holland Brook

At the Readington Township Board of Education meeting, Holland Brook School teachers Jen Aikman and Maria Winter presented an educator inquiry project that used hands-on, real-world math lessons to reduce student math anxiety and increase learning outcomes in fourth grade.

The presenters described a project originally planned for two five-week units that was expanded to three units after strong student response. Students presented favorite lessons: Nolan described a “dream bedroom” budgeting activity; Olivia explained a candy lesson on multiplicative comparisons; Joanna reviewed a holiday-shop arrays activity; and Jameson described timing fidget spinner rotations to learn division.

The teachers shared diagnostic results they said showed substantial growth: one class improved from 29% of students on grade level to 50%, and a second class rose from 39% to 83% on grade level. Presenters said every student made growth and that exit tickets, student interviews and classroom assessments suggested reduced math anxiety and improved ability to explain mathematical reasoning.

"I think visualizing math and connecting it to the real world made me less anxious," student Nolan said while describing the dream-bedroom lesson. The teachers said the project’s combination of inquiry, diagnostic data, and student feedback will guide a second-year plan that focuses on early-place-value conversations, targeted mini-assessments and small-group follow-up for students who have not yet mastered prerequisite skills.

Why it matters: District officials and teachers are under pressure to close learning gaps and address student anxiety around mathematics. This classroom-level intervention offers an example of combining curricular adaptation with formative assessment to produce measurable mid-year gains.

The board acknowledged the teachers and the student presenters with applause and certificates, and discussed sharing assessment release rates for intervention programs with the committee.